HE SEES, HE KNOWS, HE CARES: THE GOSPEL of LUKESýnishorn

Week 2

Read: Luke 4:14–30

SOAP: Luke 4:18–19

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and the regaining of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

At this point in Jesus’ ministry (according to Luke’s Gospel), many had believed and proclaimed that He was the Messiah. Today’s reading describes the first time Jesus made this claim about Himself.

When Jesus explained His purpose, the people were amazed by Him and spoke well of Him. Jesus knew their hearts, and He challenged them on their attitude of exclusivity and superiority. Jesus mentioned two events from the Old Testament in which Gentiles had graciously received the Word of God and displayed faith. These examples were not showing a rejection of the Jewish people but rather the inclusion of Gentiles into salvation. The people of Nazareth were filled with rage and drove Jesus out of the synagogue. Even though they would reject Him, Jesus would be accepted elsewhere in Israel and also by many Gentiles.

Given the deeply rooted anti-Gentile sentiment of the Jews in the first century, the response of the people of Nazareth is not surprising. After all, if Jesus was the Messiah, He would free captives and the oppressed. The Jews were, at the time, facing oppression by the Romans, a Gentile nation. Why would they want a Messiah who would also offer salvation to their enemy and oppressor?

The salvation we are given in Christ is astounding. He offers us Good News. He will release us from all bondage, whether spiritual or physical, some of it now, but all of it in heaven. He gives sight to the blind, both the physically and spiritually blind. And He offers freedom to the oppressed—those under physical, systemic, or emotional oppression and those under spiritual oppression from sin.

The time of God’s favor is upon us. Jesus has brought full and complete salvation to all those who believe in Him. We are not limited by our standing, health, gender, ethnicity, or influence. As we proclaim Christ to the world, we must also remember that His salvation extends even to those we may call our enemies. May we proclaim Christ with the same love and generosity He offered us when we were still His enemy.